Southwest Division NBA Draft Recap: Cooper Flagg, Harper & Big Winners & Losers

Southwest Division NBA Draft Recap: Cooper Flagg, Harper & Big Winners & Losers

let’s talk about the NBA draft we’re recapping it division by division the southwest west southwest division with the top two picks we might as well start there michael Bolton
thanks Josh it’s Michael Bolton here and it’s time for another episode of the Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast let’s get to it
let’s get to it indeed you are Locked on Fantasy your daily NBA fantasy podcast part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day hello and welcome to the Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast brought to you by Basketball Monster my name is Josh Lloyd and I’m a I can’t speak i’m a horse girl i’m also the lead fantasy analyst at basketballmonster.com and today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel right now new customers get $150 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins thank you for making Lockdown Fantasy Basketball your first listen every day we are free we are available on all platforms so hit a thumb double bang leave a comment i am recording this show in advance uh in advance as I said this is a I know the NBA draft was a week uh a week and like a few days ago but I don’t imagine the huge amount has changed now but I am recording this June the 30th so I’m just going over each draft pick here i think it’s interesting content you can listen to at your leisure talking about these players we’ve done the dynasty rookie ranks already just going through my value of it my overall grade on the draft class just in preparation for summer league which is starting at the end of this week yeah starting at the end of this week and you’ll have all these shows out before that begins as well cuz I am currently traveling and not at home so this is a pre-recorded show so apologies if something has gone down that I am not aware of we are looking at the Southwest division in the NBA talking about those five teams and like I said we saw I think we saw this last season where the Southeast division had just what do they have they pick one pick two who else do they have where was who was pick three that was the Hornets hawks and Wizards one and two in the Southwest in the Southeast this season Dallas and San Antonio both in the Southwest having pick one and two so we’ve had picks one and two going to the same division two years in a row that’s interesting is it maybe not all right what I’m going to talk about again draft grades are a weird thing to give out obviously we see how this all plays out i base it on a few things on the the the quality that I view the player and that others view the player the value of where they picked that player and then there’s increasing value placed on what I think and what others think is getting it right at the top of the draft versus what you do towards the bottom end of the draft and there’s a fit component in there as well right so in the end it’s just all for fun let’s give an incomplete grade on every team yeah because we don’t know that’s not fun we’re just giving opinions on how these draft classes play out and I I sort of wrestled back and forward quite a bit on this one as well is when you’re talking about like Dallas which is where we’re going to start here like do you give them a great grade because they didn’t make any sort of exciting pick they didn’t do anything to get them into this position and by exciting pick I mean they didn’t like wow what a great value pick like they took Flag at number one just the most obvious pick of all time to take him there they got pick number one cool good for them and that’s it they didn’t have another draft pick in the end I am going to give them an A+ in my scale here um because again getting Cooper Flag could be literally a franchise not even changing maybe saving moment after the idiotic of the Luca deal now I’m not going to put it past Nico Harrison to do something stupid after that what I have also realized and I will change this for the other divisions that I do is I probably should have put the pick numbers next to the players um up on that so if you are watching the screen you can see the pick number so I do apologize about that um but obviously Cooper Flag was picked number one overall we’ve talked at length about his dynasty value he’s going to be a top 50 reddraft guy i’m very certain that’s where he’ll be drafted i think he’s got a shot at top 25 as a rookie uh he’s ridiculously good he’s going to play a bunch of different positions he’s going to contribute right across the board his usage and scoring and shooting all improved so much in college which is one of the issues with his game heading into college if you didn’t watch some of his stuff in college and just saw some of the stuff prior and I don’t think anyone was like that he did change a lot the usage and the scoring and the shooting all improved dramatically through college which is pretty scary given those given those sort of improvements that happened when he knew he had to focus on them so let’s see where we go from here the other picks they made and I’m trying to include as much information as I know at this point as I’m recording here on June the 30th as to who else the Mavericks signed or put onto their summer league roster i love their two picks for two-way guys and this is part of the reason why it gives them an A+ not that it’s the overriding factor of course but getting Ryan Neard on a two-way who I had like early second round 34 I think I had him overall and he was very much mocked in the second round of nearly every draft and then Miles Kelly wing out of Orbin i think getting both of those guys on two ways neard is going to have an option an opportunity I think to to play immediately maybe they use all these 50 games before Kyrie returns i don’t know but like Brandon Williams is the competition maybe D’Angelo Russell’s there i’m not sure at this point but I love both of those picks and you didn’t you even if you screwed up a two-way in my opinion doesn’t change much but hitting them with such good value is great they got Musa Cis on an exhibit 10 which means that you maybe he comes into camp perhaps or they they cut him in so he goes on to their G-League team and the other one there is a binner anchilia Killllin I think that’s how it’s pronounced he’s on their summer league team we’ll see if that means anything probably not but the value of course is all Cooper flag and then there’s Neard and Cali as really really strong selections or really strong two-way guys you’re leveraging that ability with that you know I I continue to say the NBA draft needs to be have more rounds needs to go three rounds at least because this free-for-all of just uh agents trying to determine which players get drafted or not and then where they go and this it’s all a nonsense scenario it needs to change but Dallas great job getting them getting Cali and of course lucking their way and it is luck lucking their way into Cooper Flag it’s a a might as well just put the Cooper flag uh picture up on the screen for you it’s a generational prospect he’s going to put up ridiculous numbers I’m guessing steals blocks rebounds assists threes points field goals free throws he’s the full eight banger the eight category legend and it’s uh it’s a little hard to go wrong on on that pick you if there was any team that could have gone wrong it was probably them honestly it was probably the Pelicans but um getting that selection Cooper flag making the most of your two ways as well when you don’t have those other picks w like that’s simply just a gigantic W the next team I’m not even going to give them a grade it is the Houston Rockets because what am I going to say about the only player at this point that has been reported to have been signed and that’s Cameron Matthews on an exhibit 10 like what do you want me to say he’s okay but I’m not sure that he can shoot he’s not even on a two-way he might not be on the team the team is loaded they had no draft picks whatsoever after they traded pick 10 to get Kevin Durant like their work in the offseason’s been amazing ressigning Jabari Smith today fred Vanble is back we’ve got um uh Kevin Durant arriving like it’s been an amazing off seasonason for them but that’s not the draft we’ll do offseason grades later on they brought in Cam Matthews if you have strong thoughts on Cam Matthews good for you you’re alone I guess in that spot and that’s where we’re at now the other three teams they’re a lot busier through the draft the Pelicans the Grizzlies and the Spurs so we’ll come back and talk about their grades but I have to give that as an incomplete to Houston their offseason grade will be different when we do that later on when the all the offseason stuff is settled today’s episode is brought to you by FanJuel summer sports are in full swing baseball games soccer games NASCAR WNBA golf it is all there and Fanuel is right there with you because you’re already following that action why don’t you put some of your knowledge and your interest to the to the test instead of your mates who are going against sunburn at the beach idiots you could be there with Vanel with the the app open live betting same game parlays watching your favorite sports it’s easy to use it’s fast to pay out and it is a great way to show lot that knowledge off and get get involved in a bunch of 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good that’s not a good That’s not a good move I don’t think and then they moved up to pick 11 to pick Cedric Coward who is fine i like him he’s not 19 he’s not 20 he’s like 22 he played six games at Washington State all of his previous numbers were at Eastern Washington low level competition yeah he shot pretty well he rebounded well the blocks are nice i don’t know if any of it’s real i’ve got absolutely no idea he hurt his shoulder he played six games the positional value of Cedric Coward is good it’s good he plays on the wing the Grizzlies need wings so the fit is actually pretty good got John Mant you got Jiren Jackson you got Zack Edy at some point you’ve got Vince Williams Gigi Jackson Contempor Pope Cole Anthony Scotty Pippen it’s a bunch of weird sort of spots in there jaylen Wells he could start Sedra Coward it is possible he could be a starter we saw them have no problem starting Jaylen Wells we don’t know what Isalo is going to do as a coach and what his theory on’s going to be but Coward played at Washington State 20 usage that’s not very high obviously now he averaged 19 points he hit two threes that’s per 36 the blocks are great the shooting numbers are all great but it’s six games and that’s where you run into a problem like 70% true shooting not going to stick it’s going to drop down does he like for fantasy like I’m not I can see how he could become a really valuable fantasy player as well but also I just don’t know it’s an older player at a low-level competition who we never really got to see tested for a long period of time against better levels and that’s scary i’m not even including the trade up for it in terms of the the value you gave up which I don’t like overall I am giving Memphis a B i was considering a C++ B minus C++ but I do end up going with a B just again the archetype the player archetype of Coward is is strong i also do like the two guys that they drafted in the second round and while again that’s not as important as nailing your your first pick and getting that at pick 11 is very high um and jumping up to that spot is very high remember though the Grizzlies traded out traded away their first round pick to dump Marcus Smart for no reason and then what they had to do to get this pick is give up Desmond Bane the return from Desmond Bane which is pick 16 and a future first round pick so they gave up Desmond Bane a future first and two seconds to get Cedric Coward Contavis Coral Pope and Cole Anthony and the first round pick from last season to dump Marcus SM it’s really bad business i like what they did in the second round though javon Small at pick number 48 again a little bit of an older player he’s 6’2 but he’s a very very strong defender and the same goes with Jamai Mashack i think I’m pronouncing that correctly now Mashak was the final pick in the draft he’s a 6’4 wing again 7.7 points per game he’s really quite bad and that’s per 36 minutes that’s incredibly low but good steal numbers good block numbers just providing defensive players around Coward Morant Jackson GG Jackson even as well yeah there’s a lot of these sort of lower usage guys though when you compare like you put um Vince Williams in there or you put uh Jaylen Wells in that mix as well these are not high usage generators and one of your generators is gone and that’s Dezbane and I don’t know that Coward’s going to be able to do that overall I am going with a B for Memphis i don’t I don’t feel super strong about it and then this one here easily could get worse cuz coward could just be Kevin Knox and then it’s terrible given also given the stuff you gave up but there’s a chance that coward is not worth the 11th pick and yeah these other guys while they’re interesting as defensive players small and mash maybe it doesn’t work out for summer league they signed Ace Baldwin Jr don’t have any real thoughts on him he’s not even on an exhibit 10 but I just wanted to give you stuff for completeness sake so you’re aware of where we’re at um let’s talk about the next team which is probably the one where we can talk about it the most and be the most critical i didn’t give them an F the Pelicans i gave them a D now some people might think that me giving you a D is uh is is a good result i hate what they’ve done i didn’t mind their trade of Jordan P it’s a little weird from a financial perspective he’s a better player than CJ McCullum but what is the plan here relying upon Troy Weaver like legitimately like he is giving the advice here the hiring processes are horrific why is Willie Green still coaching they It’s like they don’t understand the NBA half the time this as always I will apologize to Joe Dumar and to my man Troy if this ends up being great i’m giving a degrade to the Pelicans without even talking about the absolute insanity of the trade if I’m going to talk about Memphis trading away a first round pick to move up to 11 which is not great this trade is insane the Pelicans or the Bucks whatever the best pick is next season unprotected to move up from 23 to 13 to draft one of the worst fits with Zion Williamson that exists now I don’t know if they’re trading Zion they claim they’re not maybe I change my mind if they end up doing that but I hate what they did they had pick seven they picked Jeremiah Fierce i would not have picked Jeremiah Fears there jeremiah Fears has upside he is an elite ball handler he is incredibly young he reclassified into this class i don’t think he can shoot and I’m not sure he ever will be he’s small his defense is bad his passing is fine his driving is great i think he’s going to be terrible early on like terrible and they’ve got Dejante Murray there already and they just traded for Jordan Paul so again what is the plan so they picked the at seven they picked Derek Queen at 13 derk Queen in isolation really strong scorer unbelievably good footwork strong rebounder can’t shoot can’t defend can’t jump doesn’t make any sense next to Zion none whatsoever i I He is he a center i don’t think so is he a power forward i don’t know how Who does he guard is he guard interior is he guarding the perimeter i don’t think any of those things are good he needs to be paired we talked about this in the pre-draft process a lot pair him with Webby pair him with Alex Sar Miles Turner give someone that can give some coverage defensively instead of Zion Williamson so trading up for it is bad and then picking someone in this spot is a horrific selection like Thomas would have been way better in this spot now it’s a large bet that queen is going to be awesome i don’t think he will be but he could be i just hate all of the thought process not only behind the trade which I’m not even including here just the picks of fears and queens were two fears and queen were two guys that I didn’t love just as general prospects and especially not on this team i hate both of those micah Peavey was their pick in the second round um that’s fine i’m going to put some of the stats up there for fears and queen as well so you can see it peavey was uh drafted a pick 40 in the selection that came in the Jordan Pool deal so they got Jordan Pool and pick 40 that’s a great deal from Joe Dumas in terms of getting that value back the Wizards cleared cap space the Pelicans that’s what I mean like they they’re tying up their future cap sheet to try and go I guess win soon or now but then draft fears and queen which doesn’t make sense sacrifice a future pick i I don’t get the point of all of that so that’s again it’s just confusing messaging getting that pick 40 was strong it’s good it’s good little just add something in on the trade good good for you but what what else is actually going on with this team so Pave is fine he at pick 40 he’s a wing he’s 67 great older player very good steel rate good defensive guy could he be a Herb Jonesy type of player well they’d bloody hope so cuz at the moment Jones is the only actual real defender on this team outside of old mate Joseé Alvarado but no guarantee Peeve is going to be able to play or defend or be good enough on offense to actually get out there to show that he can defend i hate the pick of Hun Dickinson hunter Dickinson is is tall he’s 7’2 i don’t think he’s an NBA player much like Derek Queen who is good mates with Troy Weaver’s son Hun Dickinson is from the DMV where Troy Weaver is from now is that coincidence i’m not going to give Troy Weaver the benefit of the doubt las Vegas resident i’m not going to give him the benefit of the doubt dickinson played for a million years in college i think he’s 24 he’s big he’s a rebounding sort of guy but he’s like a worse Luca Gaza I guess i don’t even know if that’s a a great comp for him but that’s sort of what he feels like someone put up numbers in college that just doesn’t feel like there’s any way that it works in the NBA so what’s the point why if he was on a summer league deal wouldn’t care exhibit 10 whatever a two-way deal is actually a a vital roster spot so why has he got one the pick that I actually do like and again it doesn’t matter but it’s Chase Hunter on an exhibit 10 i think he’s not a bad player that’s not not bad decision-making at that spot but I don’t like the rest i do give them a D could have been a D minus could have been an F but I don’t hate Of has got the upside so there’s a benefit there queen in a vacuum is is solid enough i don’t mind the spot where he went i just this there couldn’t have been a worse team for for me of where he could have gone to in that position we got one team left and it’s the team that picked number two overall in this draft after picking number four in the draft last season you know who it is of course it’s them it’s the San Antonio Spurs they came away with a really strong draft universally lorded I would say would be their draft i’m going to lord it but I’m not going to put it at the same level that others are dylan Harper 2 is to me the no-brainer decision you get credit for it but you don’t get gigantic credit you get like that’s you made the right choice it’s a great pick the fit stuff gets a little iffier i think that Harper definitely should have been selected i don’t care that Steph Castle is there actually don’t care that Darren Fox is there harper is shooting we’ve got to see how it works but like if there’s anyone that I’m getting rid of it’s Castle i don’t care about that i don’t care that he’s there he’s not someone good enough that I don’t draft over him so Harper to me the right selection 100% the correct decision to take Dylan Harper there but you can’t fully ignore that there are concerns with the shot the shot looks off at times it’s a little weird the numbers the percentages aren’t great coming out of Ruckers they’re okay but they’re not great like 33%’s not great 48 from the field and 75 from the line like they’re okay i think there’s room to improve that i love his rebounding i love his steals sorry sorry I love his assist his still rate is good i think he can be a better defender i think he’s going to be a unbelievably good player in this team he’s incredibly young but there are it’s not it’s not an absolute there is no risk here whatsoever there is a chance that the shot just is never there and the size that he’s got is good but it’s not big enough to be considered a big point guard so those advantages aren’t conveyed as well as you would hope so we’ll see overall I did give them an A minus like I said but the next one is Carter Bryant which again love the positional ability here but I’m not also going to sit here and tell you that I believe that Carter Bryant’s a great shooter there’s no guarantee that Carter Bryant ends up better than Deon Vel as a player or Jeremy Sohan or honestly even Stfan Castle he shot well 37% from three hit two threes a game steals and block numbers are fantastic i that’s I love that he’s young he had 16 usage he is a nice plugandplay guy but what if the shot isn’t real then how does it work with everybody else where does he fit in here that’s my only issue with Carter Bryant is that he’s a low usage guy they don’t need that necessarily harper Fox Wimi that’s all good plug and play is good defensively I think he’ll be fine but it doesn’t always work that way but Isaac Aoro is someone who’s a pretty good defender he just can’t shoot and I Bryant is someone I think is going to be a better shooter and he’s bigger and that’s all an advantage i like the pick of Bryant i’m not like like with Dylan Harper though I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I think that it’s absolutely perfect and without flaws a low usage wing with some shooting concerns i’m not going to just immediately tell you that it’s awesome it’s it’s good but it’s not going to just blow everybody away there are three summer league guys Jackson Mooney Cam Carter and Chibuzu Agbo no specific thoughts mooney I did have on my top 100 big board so yeah something there but that’s realistically about it and that is your Southwest division recap we’ll be doing the rest of them this week the rest of the divisions just to give you an idea of how I thought obviously the the Mavs the Spurs they did really well the Grizzlies pretty good the Pelicans dreadful and the Rockets they didn’t do anything so not much to talk about hit the subscribe button as I record all these shows again sorry if stuff that I’ve said is out of date i am recording this stuff in advance guys we are done here thank you so much for listening everyone see you [Music]

The 2025 NBA Draft shook up the Southwest Division! Cooper Flagg heads to Dallas Mavericks, Dylan Harper joins the San Antonio Spurs, and the New Orleans Pelicans make some puzzling moves that could impact Zion Williamson’s future.

Josh Lloyd, host of the Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast, grades each team’s draft and breaks down what these picks mean for your fantasy basketball leagues. Will Flagg be a top-50 fantasy player in year one? How does Dylan Harper fit alongside Victor? Are the Pelicans risking their chemistry with questionable picks?

Get in-depth analysis on the fantasy implications for every Southwest team, including the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets. Learn who could emerge as surprise fantasy gems and who might be overhyped heading into your drafts.

📌 Stay ahead of your league with sharp takes on draft grades, team fits, and fantasy basketball value shifts.

#NBA #FantasyBasketball #VictorWembanyama #DallasMavericks #DylanHarper #SanAntonioSpurs #NBADraft2025

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0:00 – Introduction
0:35 – NBA Draft recap
1:36 – Southwest Division overview
2:37 – Dallas Mavericks draft grade
6:41 – Houston Rockets draft
8:44 – Memphis Grizzlies draft
13:19 – New Orleans Pelicans draft
19:10 – San Antonio Spurs draft
22:14 – Conclusion